people magazine

*For the handful of people who haven't yet watched the latest episode of 24, there are spoilers ahead.*

Actress Kim Raver is profiled in this week's People Magazine where she talks about her return to 24 as Audrey Raines and how charming actor Kiefer Sutherland can be.

On the topic of "Audrey's not quite dead yet:" Raver said she's a romantic and thinks Audrey and Jack Bauer should be romantically reunited, adding that "you die when you just look at him [Bauer]."

On the topic of Sutherland being a gentleman: "Well, if you're at dinner, he stands up when you get up to go to the ladies' room." But if you're playing a terrorist on 24, I wouldn't advise getting up to use the facilities unless Jack gives you permission. You might wind up hanging by a chain. Or missing your jugular.

Ryan Seacrest recently told People magazine that he thinks Jordin Sparks could be the next American Idol. Why does Ryan like Jordin? Because, "She's a great singer and a pretty girl, she's non-threatening, cute and attractive. Plus, she has this sincere likability that is rare and genuine."

Considering that 17-year-old Jordin towers over Ryan, I find it amusing that he finds her "non-threatening." He always looks so uncomfortably short standing next to her on stage. Perhaps, he is a *bigger* man than I give him credit for.

After 27 days, Britney Spears is out of rehab and on the loose. No doubt the paparazzi will be hounding her more than ever, but you know that the traditional media-types are also calling for the story. At some point, Britney will talk. Was she an alcoholic? Was it drugs? Exhaustion? Or post-partum depression? Inquiring minds need to know!

But, who will she talk to? The options are varied. She could go to Oprah or Barbara Walters-- those two would be the biggies. Katie Couric is no doubt calling. And Matt Lauer. And Diane Sawyer. People magazine is a possibility, or maybe even something a little more upscale like Vanity Fair. There's always David Letterman, who frequently gets surprise visits from Britney. (Although, that would be a big letdown because ol' Dave will probably let her off the hook after a joke or two)

Simon Cowell has never hidden his dislike for Taylor Hicks. And last week he was at it again. He spoke out at this year's 24th Annual Paley Festival at the Directors Guild of America in West Hollywood, saying, "They (Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson) loved him. I couldn't stand him. I didn't get it."

Simon added, "at the end of the day you have to find a bona fide recording artist. Just because you win the show doesn't mean you will sell a lot of records. Chris (Daughtry) is the one who sold the albums, not Taylor." Hicks still hasn't sold one million albums, and many critics doubt he will.

Carlo Rota, the 61-year-old who plays Morris "Drill Bit" O'Brian on 24, recently told the dead-tree version of People Magazine that when he arrived on the CTU set he spoke really fast.

Until an executive producer told him to stop. "It's a fast show, but you still speak like you would normally," Joel Surnow reportedly told Rota.

Rota also told the magazine that he's an enthusiastic chef and that Mary Lynn Rajskub, who portrays his snippy ex-wife Chloe O'Brian, keeps him guessing with her various facial expressions. "You don't know whether she's appreciative of you being there or if she's judging you," Rota told People.

Some mobsters turn the other direction when they know they are going to get whacked.

Vincent Pastore, the actor who played "Big Pussy" on The Sopranos, is adding some credibility to his character's name after announcing today that he is dropping out of the upcoming season of Dancing With the Stars.

According to the actor, "Unable to put forth my best effort, I felt it appropriate to step aside and give someone else the opportunity."My first question for you sir is ... AGAIN?!

DB Woodside, who plays President Wayne Palmer on 24, called the show's star Kiefer Sutherland "intense."

"Either you jump on the bus or the bus will roll over you," Woodside said of Sutherland in an interview with People Magazine, in its Feb. 26/dead tree edition. "I think it is very dangerous to be running around with his character."

Woodside also said he thinks comparisons between the fictional Wayne Palmer and the real-life presidential campaign of Illinois Senator Barack Obama are "unfair." Admitting that Wayne Palmer is untested and not very commanding, he told the magazine that Obama is just the opposite and is "the most exciting candidate to come on the scene in my lifetime."

There's an update to Akron Watson's dismissal story. He's come forward to say that the Idol producers KNEW about his arrest for misdemeanor possession of marijuana prior to the audition. Watson told People, "I was completely open about my background, any trouble I had been in, my medical history – everything!"

Watson earned a trip to Hollywood and he still wants it. In fact, he's created a MySpace page called "BringAKBack". And he's looking for people to leave a comment and show support so he can get back on the show.

When the hell did these two start going out? I knew she wasn't going out with Bobcat Goldthwait any longer (they were engaged several years back - yes, that Bobcat Goldthwait), but I didn't know that she and Mohr were an item (God, if I ever type the phrase "an item" when referring to a couple again...ugh. What, am I part of US Weekly or something?).

Another magazine, People, is reporting that Mohr and Cox were married in Los Angeles on Friday night. No official word yet from either camp.

Mohr was the former host of NBC's Last Comic Standing and a former cast member of Saturday Night Live, not to mention the star of the criminally short-lived sitcom Action. A couple of years ago he wrote the book Gasping For Airtime. Nikki Cox is currently on Las Vegas and costarred in the underrated sitcom Unhappily Ever After.

This week's San Francisco Gatetakes a look at the recent upsurge in television's hot Asian ("Hasian") male factor and asks the enduring question, "Have we come a long way, baby?"

The author Jeff Yang surveys People's "Sexiest Man Alive" issue and answers in the affirmative thanks to the presence of Survivor's Yul Kwon, Lost's Daniel Dae Kim and John Cho, formerly of Kitchen Confidential. While Yang sticks to East Asia, if you throw in South Asian actors Naveen Andrews of Lost and Sendhil Ramamurthy of Heroes, you start to get more evidence that Hollywood's worst crimes of representation might be behind it.

Nipping recent internet rumors in the bud, How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris revealed to People Magazine that he is "a very content gay man."

This announcement comes just days after Harris' publicist told reporters that "he's not of that persuasion" in response to a story that Harris had used his influence to land his alleged "longtime sweetheart" David Burtka a role on Mother.

How about that? A celebrity who is "happy to dispel any rumors or misconceptions and am quite proud to say" that's he gay. Between Harris and Grey's Anatomy's T.R. Knight, this could become a trend.

I usually bypass gossipy items like this, but this one caught my eye for two reasons: it involves one of my favorite actors on television, and because this story didn't give me the dry heaves. Scrubs star and former TV Squad interviewee John C. McGinley revealed to People magazine how he got engaged to his new fiancée, yoga instructor / birthing doula Nichole Kessler, on Aug. 19. Zap2It.com reports that McGinley told People about the engagement on the red carpet of the Creative Arts Emmys, which happened to be later that same day. The story itself sounds like it was very low key; he called Kessler down to their garden to ask her about some flower ideas, they sat down to look at the ocean, and he produced the ring. Very nice. Well, at least it's a whole hell of a lot better than putting the proposal up on the Jumbotron at a Yankee game.

Anyway, it sounds like the type of engagement story that most other couples have. Well, except for the Malibu estate. And the fact that they live in a bird sanctuary. And the huge ring. And the whole birthing doula thing. But other than that, they're just regular folks, right?

Poor Taylor Hicks. He was just named Hottest Bachelor by People magazine. In the article, he mentioned his first crush was when he was in third grade and he really liked a sixth grader. He must've named the girl because, two weeks after the article appeared, Taylor's first crush contacted the magazine. Her name is Christy Lee Worsham and she's married (say it now: "Ahhhhh."). She told the magazine, "He was such a fun kid... He was like a brother to me." Ouch! What guy wants to hear that? Well, Taylor, there's always hope that the blonde woman you made eye contact with on a plane recently is single and is flattered that you mentioned her in People magazine.

Marcia Cross, who plays Bree on Desperate Housewives, may have gotten married over the weekend. According to People magazine, Cross married stockbroker Tom Mahoney on Saturday in San Gabriel, California.

If the news is accurate, she chose a good weekend to tie the knot. From the sounds of it, all the paparazzi made the trip to Sydney, Australia for these nuptials.

Isn't this the housewife who, in real lie, admitted to being desperate to find a mate back during season one of DH?

You've seen her on The Drew Carey Show, you've seen her on One On One, you've seen her on Hope and Faith, and you've seen her on her own show last year, the short-lived Bad Girl's Guide on UPN. Now, you can see her on...Jim Carrey!

Sorry, that was rude. I guess I just don't see these two together. Sure, they're both goofy and all that, but for some reason I'm just surprised at the pairing. Why? I don't know, that's Dr. Phil and Oprah territory. There's just something about these two being together that doesn't quite click.